I Am Not Weak
by AstoriaAliceMalfoy
Summary: Draco and Astoria share a moment in the Astronomy Tower in Draco's sixth year. Draco/Astoria


_**A.N: **_So about this story: It's about Astoria and Draco sharing a moment in the Astronomy tower in Hogwarts, in Draco's 6th year. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing at all...

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><p>Draco was sitting up in the Astronomy tower with his head in his hands. He had made no progress. He had failed two times. And even though he couldn't say that he was sorry for what happened to Weasley, he knew that if he wouldn't get the task done right, he'd get killed. But he felt like he just couldn't take it anymore. He felt as the tears slowly ran down his face. He didn't know when they'd started falling down but now he couldn't stop himself from crying. His almost silver-like hair was a mess and his tie was loose. He himself was a complete mess.<p>

Suddenly there was a noise in the stairs that led up to the tower. Draco didn't move a muscle. He didn't want to be heard. Someone was coming up. Draco got up and took out his wand. He went to stand next to the staircase so that the person coming up couldn't see him. And then someone appeared. Draco pointed his wand at the person's throat.

He quickly dropped it when he saw who it was.

"Astoria?" he asked in disbelief. What in the name of Merlin was she doing there?

"Oh", Astoria said, "I didn't know you were here"

"I'm not", replied Draco, "I'm just leaving"

"Draco?" Astoria's voice was suddenly very worried. Draco looked at her and realized that she must've noticed that he had cried. "Have you been crying?", Astoria asked.

"No", Draco replied harshly. He and Astoria knew each other. They'd first met when Astoria was only two years old and Draco four. He hadn't really liked Astoria, because she had always been so kind to mudbloods and blood-traitors. But in the past few years Draco had learned to like her. She was always kind to him, even though he'd insulted her so many times.

Suddenly Astoria wrapped her arms around Draco. It was something that Draco was not used to. Being so close to other people. Sure, Pansy had always been ready to snog him whenever he wanted but there was something about Astoria that Pansy didn't have.

Perhaps it was the fact that in a weird way, Draco respected Astoria. Like he respected Theodore Nott. There were only a few people in Slytherin who didn't want to act like Crabbe and Goyle, who didn't want to bee seen as his minions or servants. Those people included Theodore and Astoria.

Astoria had never accepted the way Draco treated other people and he knew that but still she had never tried to stop him. And now that she was hugging him, Draco couldn't help but to wrap his arms around her.

Astoria was well aware of the fact that Draco had been acting very weirdly in the past few months. In fact, when she thought about it, he'd been acting weird all year. She had an idea why, but she hoped it wasn't true. But, there was only one way to find out.

"Show me", Astoria whispered in to Draco's ear. He backed away from her, looking shocked. It made Astoria's heart literally hurt. Even though she and Draco weren't such good friends, she still hated seeing him like this. So vulnerable.

"Show me your arm Draco", Astoria demanded. Her voice was soft but firm. She needed to see his arm. She wanted to know if the rumors were true. If he had the Mark.

Slowly and hesitantly, Draco did as Astoria asked and lifted up his left sleeve and right there, on his arm was the Dark Mark. Astoria closed her eyes. She suddenly felt very weak.

"Why?" she whispered. Draco stared at Astoria. Her expression made him feel sick. She hated him, didn't she? For taking the Dark Mark. She hated him. Draco pulled his sleeve back down and took a step closer to Astoria.

"Why is this happening to me?" Astoria then whispered. Draco just stared at her.

"What do you mean? I'm the one who's taken the Mark!" Draco was furious now. How could she be so selfish? "I'M THE ONE WITH THE MARK! HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN TO YOU? IT ISN'T HAPPENING TO YOU!"

Astoria looked up at Draco. She was shocked. She'd never heard him so upset. She saw that he was on the verge of tears. She walked to him slowly and took his face into her hands.

"I didn't mean it like that. I've already lost my mother. I'm sure I will lose my father. I don't want to lose you." she said. The last words were merely a whisper. It was all true. Her mother was dead, her father was a Death Eater and Astoria was always afraid for him and now this.

Draco leaned his forehead against hers.

"I am not weak", he said mostly to himself.

"I know", whispered Astoria, "I know"

It was the first time Astoria had never heard him say those words but she knew that they had always been there. Haunting his mind. She also knew that Draco propably hadn't had a choice when he took the Dark Mark. Suddenly Draco let go of her and went to stand by the railing, looking at the huge lake next to the castle. She could see him shaking and she knew that he was crying.

Astoria looked at him for a moment before she decided something. She wouldn't lose him. Draco could do this. Whatever it was that he had to do, he could do it.

"Draco", Astoria said, "I believe in you. You're not weak" This didn't work. It only seemed to make Draco angrier.

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT I AM AND WHAT I'M NOT! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING! YOU KNOW NOTHING! I'M NOT WHO YOU THINK I AM!" he yelled. Astoria looked around, making sure that no one was anywhere near. Making sure that no one had heard him

"You're right", she then said and walked to Draco. "But you could tell me. You could..." Astoria never finished what she was saying because Draco kissed her. She didn't know why he did it, and she didn't know why she kissed him back. She only knew that Draco was holding her very tightly, almost like he was afraid she might disappear. Maybe he was just looking for something to distract him?

When he finally pulled away, there was a sign of color on his face.

"Did that help?" Astoria asked with a smirk.

"Not really" answered Draco. Astoria's eyes widened.

"Then we must try again", she said with a smile. And with that, she kissed him. Draco knew that kissing Astoria wouldn't help him with his task but he knew that it would distract him and maybe that's what he needed. Maybe everything was going to be okay. After all, Astoria had said that she cared about him. Sort of.

"You don't know everything I've done", Draco whispered whne he pulled away from the kiss. Astoria smiled a little.

"I'm pretty sure that everyone's heard about the things you've done. No one just knows it was you", she said. Draco didn't say anything to that. He just pulled away from her again. He took a few steps back and then a few more. Then suddenly he collapsed. He just fell to his knees. Then he sat normally onto the ground and pulled his other knee againts his chest. Astoria rushed to him, in fear that something might be wrong. (Beside his mental state)

"Are you okay?" she asked. Draco just nodded. He didn't want to explain everything to her. He didn't want to admit that he had no idea what he was doing. He didn't want to tell her that he might be dead in a few months if he did not succeed.

Draco could still remember the Dark Lord's words in his mind: _You must succeed. If you do not...there will a punishment. One that you and your family will not survive._ Of course Draco's mother hadn't been there when he'd been told that. In fact he had been alone with the Dark Lord. It had been the most frightening moment of his life.

Suddenly surprised, Draco noticed that Astoria was hugging him again. This time he didn't fight it, he just sighed and buried his head to the girl's neck. Then with another sigh he pushed her slightly away.

"Draco..." Astoria protested. Draco put his finger on her lips and then lightly kissed them. "Sit", he ordered. Astoria nodded and tried to sit next to him, but Draco grabbed her waist and sat her on his lap. Draco couldn't believe what he was doing. There he was, sitting with his arms wrapped around Astoria, Astoria of all people!

There he was, even though he propably should've been fixing the Vanishing Cabinet. But that didn't matter right now. Only Astoria mattered.

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><p><em><strong>Thank you for reading!<strong>_


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